


A Midquadrant Night's Dream

by DeltaS



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/M, Fantasy, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-07-16 11:31:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7266442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeltaS/pseuds/DeltaS
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when Shakespeare meets Voyager:  a little magic and mix-and-match all on a summer's eve. But never fear -- all's well that ends well!</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Midquadrant Night's Dream

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written and posted in May 1999
> 
> My humble apologies to the great William Shakespeare, from whom I blatantly have stolen a plot. ;-)

The planetside trip would be a good learning experience for Seven, Kathryn Janeway rationalized. So it was that she and the icy Borg-human joined forces as an away team to the planet, Plaethion, to negotiate for some much needed nitrogenase compounds.. After the preliminary arrangements had been made, the two women beamed down to the planet’s lush surface and quickly established an alliance with the Plaethiae.

Negotiation proceedings on the planet went according to protocol yet also proved entertaining. The planet's inhabitants were round and jolly, never missing an opportunity to ply their guests with food and drink in convivial luxuriant settings. The geographical area of their visit appeared to be at the height of its season of "summer" --- plants were verdant and vibrant, exuding their intoxicating fragrances into the warm, humid air.

For the three days of their stay, Janeway and Seven had been appointed to a large, airy room that reflected the almost decadent inclinations of their hosts. The walls of the room were of such a color so as to disappear into the summer air, giving a impression of being in an open glen within a deep woods. The illusive walls were unadorned, furthering the feeling of a fleeting existence. Several plush chairs were scattered at intervals, their upholstery appearing as lawns of floral ground covers, awaiting repose by languid bodies. Two large tables overflowed with bowls of fruit and pitchers of honeyed liquids, accompanied by chalices of prismatic crystal. The outside wall of the room consisted of silent sliding transparent panels which looked out over a small patio that was lined with pots and containers spilling over with heady fragrant herbs and vines. Beyond the patio, a large copse of shadowy trees bordered the horizon.

Each woman had a separate sleeping area, a large platform cushioned with a thick mattress that automatically adjusted to the changing postures of its slumbering occupant. Iridescent gossamer fabrics, twined up and around and through the roughly hewn wood that made up the framework of the beds, the layers flitting and fluttering in the evening breezes, giving them the appearance of gigantic butterflies sailing under the pale moonlight. In these surroundings, Kathryn Janeway had experienced the two best nights of repose that she could ever remember. However, she was concerned about Seven, who had not been able to make use of her regeneration chamber for the same period of time. It was with this latter worry that she opened a conversation with her young colleague, as they were preparing for their third night in this decadent paradise.

"Seven, I am concerned. Are these accommodations all right for you? I didn’t think we would be here this long, and I know that it’s necessary for you to regenerate every forty-eight hours or so."

"I thank you for your unease, Captain," she responded matter-of-factly. "It is interesting that this... sleep platform... appears to adapt to my needs, and has indeed performed as a necessary regenerator for my systems. An interesting phenomenon. I must remember to inquire as to its technologies and attempt to utilize its principles to accommodate any other transitory regeneration requirements I might have in the future." The tall blonde woman began the arduous task of disrobing from her functional jumpsuit, which she now found uncomfortable with the prone position that was required of her bed.

"Captain, I hesitate to ask your assistance, but would you be so kind as to help me undress?"

The older woman chuckled to herself as she walked across the room.

"Of course, Seven. You know, I always wondered how you managed to divest yourself of such a constricting garment."

"It is an arduous process. However, it is necessary to interface with my remaining implants." Her voice lowered as she continued. "I do not like to be away from the connections. Their absence makes me feel so... so..."

"Vulnerable?" Janeway continued, as she helped her young crew-woman strip away the confines of the constraints.

A slight hesitation in responding gave away Seven’s answer before she murmured it. "Yes. That is an acceptable word for the emotion."

Janeway peeled away the formfitting garment, revealing the creamy body beneath it. Its very stature assured her that this was not a completely human body - the Borg perception of the idealic human female was beyond any natural anatomy. Janeway stood back, shaking her head in unbelieving amazement. Seven turned slowly to face her commanding officer, noting the expression on Janeway’s face, an expression mixed with amusement and incredulity.

"Is there a problem, Captain?" she asked, her perky pips almost in Janeway’s face.

Janeway stifled a laugh. "No... no, none at all. I... I was just admiring... your posture."

"A superior Borg characteristic," Seven responded. "Thank you for your assistance. Do you require help with anything?"

Janeway turned, as much as to cover up her animation as to return to her area. "No, I think I can handle things myself. Thank you all the same." She proceeded to peel off the various layers of the regulatory clothing she wore, replacing it with the satiny lavender sleeping gown with which she had been provided. The bias folds of material skimmed the firm frame of her small body, its caresses kissing her skin. Barely visible straps suspended it over her shoulders, allowing the lines to hug her body.

While Janeway was changing clothes, Seven slipped into the gossamer wisps of translucent fabric that made up her sleeping attire. In contrast to the clinging fabric of the captain’s sleeping apparel, hers swirled into wide whirls of the sheer material, allowing only the barest imagination of a hint as to the body that lay underneath. It had a high neck, but the sleeveless openings also rose high on her shoulders, accentuating the vertical lines of her tall frame. The slight breezes bathing the room moved the diaphanous gown in a shimmering cloud.

Seven wandered over to a panel that opened to the outside, gazing into the darkened vista outside. Janeway walked over to her. "Beautiful, isn’t it? You know, Seven, there are places on Earth that come very close to this. I’m sure you will enjoy it when we finally return." She sighed. "Unfortunately, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. I would suggest we try to get some sleep."

"As you wish, Captain," said Seven.

Each turned towards her sleeping alcove and glided under the welcoming covers. As they drifted off into a peaceful slumber, a miasma of twinkling trails flowed into their room. A few flickers of mischievous light quickly became a dance of glowing elfins bouncing rhythmically throughout the room and careening off the walls and floor and coverlets. They finally grouped themselves, forming glittering outlines around the quiescent women, twining their mystical tendrils around them. Suddenly, silently, the forms of Kathryn Janeway and Seven of Nine floated out into the heady night air.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tom Paris sat at the desk in Chakotay’s ready room, documenting some changes he had made in the thruster systems of the Delta Flyer when the computer monitor summoned him. Or, at least he thought it had addressed him, Tom Paris. The words seemed a little jumbled. He swung the screen around, and saw Captain Janeway’s smiling face in front of him.

"Good," she gleamed at him. "I’m so glad I caught you there. I need to have you and Neelix come down to the planet’s surface to help Seven and me in some last minute details."

Tom shook his head before stammering back a reply. "Well... sure. Uh... Captain, you do know who you’re talking to, don’t you?"

Her voice broke into a gleeful musical tinkling sound. "Of course I do, Tom. Now, get yourself down here in about thirty minutes. I’ll enter the coordinates shortly. See you then. Janeway out."

The beam-down information flashed up on the screen . Tom dutifully noted them, but he was still confused. It was "night", both on the ship and into the area where the captain and Seven were. Late at night. Still, the uniformed image of Kathryn Janeway had summoned himself and Neelix planetside, and he couldn’t afford to be busted again for disobeying her orders. He slapped his comm badge.

"Neelix? This is Tom Paris. I have just received an order from Captain Janeway..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Exactly twenty-seven minutes after Tom had received the captain’s request, he and Neelix transported down to the surface of Plaethion. And, true to his suspicions, it was night on the planet’s surface. Not only was it night, but the two Voyager crewmen looked around their "beam-to" site --- it was night along a desolate back road of the planet. There was no sign of anyone there, much less a welcoming party.

"Mr. Paris, are you certain you programmed in the correct coordinates?" Neelix inquired.

A perplexed Tom Paris shook his head. "I downloaded it directly from her message. Maybe she got them mixed up. She seemed... pretty jovial when she contacted me."

They surveyed their landing point. Several kilometers down the road they could make out the lighted outline of an urban area; that’s probably where they should probably head towards. Behind them was a small crystalline pond, and just beyond that was a wooded area, silhouetted in front of them by the dual moons of the planet. Tom started a slow 360-degree scan of the area with his tricoder. Absolutely nothing in the way of human life forms was around, until he focused onto the wooded area.

"There!" he cried out to Neelix. "I’m detecting some humanoid life forms in those woods. Although... there appears to be some electromagnetic interference around the area, too. I keep getting these fleeting blips in my energy reads."

"Should we be concerned?" Neelix asked nervously, rubbing his hands together in a fidgety motion, bouncing back and forth on his wide feet.

Tom repeated his readings, and suddenly the EM disturbance dissipated. "No, it seems all right now. Probably some distortions due to the double full moon," he hypothesized, pointing to the two bright circles hanging over the trees. He hit his comm badge.

"Paris to Janeway. Captain, we’re here. Can you give us your location?" Silence.

He repeated his message. Nothing.

"Hmmm. The energy must be disrupting our communications. Well, come on. Guess the rest of this trip is by foot, Neelix."

The little man grumbled. "I don’t know why this couldn’t’ve waited till morning. What sort of negotiations take place at night... in the middle of a forest? I’m telling you, Mr. Paris, my inner ear whiskers are tingling!"

Tom laughed, taking the lead in getting their trip started.

"Lighten up, Neelix. I’m sure the captain has her reasons."

"So do the Borg," the little man murmured, trying to keep up with the long strides of the younger man.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The two men from Voyager walked for what seemed to be an endless distance. The arc of the pond was much larger than they had anticipated, and it took them almost an hour to reach the far side of the body of water. They reached the outskirts of the forest, and Tom’s readings indicated that their two compatriots were indeed located in the interior of the area. He called out to them, but there was no response. Likewise, a comm badge attempt met with failure.

"I’m sure we’re almost there," Tom stated with as much assurance as he could muster.

"Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m about ready to fall down right here and sleep. I really don’t think I can take another step," Neelix said, his voice sounding as weary as his face and form looked.

"Just a little bit further. I know we’re almost there." He placed his arm around Neelix’s chunky shoulder. "I’ve just about had it, too, my friend; it must be this thin atmosphere," Tom sighed, pushing himself forward.

But another thirty meters was all either of them would walk before a deadening sleep overtook them. Their eyes were closed and their consciences numbed even before their legs gave out from underneath them. Each of them sagged into a prone position onto the soft moss carpeting the ground under the tallest tree in the forest. The rhythmical sounds of their comfortable snores echoed into the blanketing branches of the woods.

Soon, they were surrounded with the twinkling chorus of lights that had brought their female crewmates into the same wooded area.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two of the glittering sparks grew in intensity and size, aligning along side each other above a large boulder by the sleeping men. Their ghostly apparitions grew into vaguely human forms sitting on the large rock. Each was cloaked in the vines and flowers of the forest, shimmering with the residual energy from their other-dimensional being. Their eyes were large in proportion to their bodies, and they appeared to be balanced by barely perceivable flutters of diaphanous wings. Their voices, if they could be called that, were not within any audible range to human ears; but, if they could have been heard, the conversation would have been unlike one heard before on Voyager.

The masculine-appearing being spoke first. "I have been following them for quite some time. It seems that each of the females has been reluctant to accept physical companionship from any of the males in their realm. Because of this, they have acknowledged detachment as a way of life."

The female-like being shook her head, the mass of ringlets on her head seeming to sing out her answer.

"Such an unhappy state of affairs! You were right in bringing them here, and revealing to them the joys of uninhibited love and fulfillment. But... why these two counterparts? I thought that another male in the metal flying house liked the dark haired woman. And the younger woman has stated aloud that there is no one in their community that will satisfy her."

Her dark-eyed partner now shook his head. "Ah, but the older woman and her friend have had to form a relationship that is all of the brain, not of the heart. This younger man, although he, too, was united for a while with another, is much more like this woman. They are both very lonely, unappreciated beings who can find great happiness in one another. Now, the younger woman has based her decision on a completely mathematical analysis. She, too, knows nothing of the heart, whereas the little man is a bundle of love waiting to be received. Trust me when I say that there are not two better matches in the galaxy."

The female sprite cocked her eye at her omniscient comrade. "Hmmm. We shall see."

She quickly disappeared into the dancing dot she had been before, and flew to the other side of the boulder. There, the two forms of Kathryn Janeway and Seven lay in slumbering repose; the moonlight shimmered off their faces and forms. The aerie being alighted on a leaf right above Kathryn’s head, urging forth a silvery drop of liquid. In a lazy acceptance of its fate, the ripe droplet fell onto the woman’s left eyelid. A second bead anointed the covering of her right eye. A slight flutter of her lids was the only indication of irritation.

The sequence was repeated with Seven of Nine, who showed a slight bit more notice of the action; but, she, too, continued her sleep.

The male spirit peaked over the trees, nodding his consent to the actions. At the completion of her appointed rounds, the female elfin rejoined her companion and they assumed their original positions and shapes on the boulder.

He smiled at her. "When the two women awake, they will fall in love with the first man they see, and all will be in play. Shall we begin our wake-up calls?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Feathery tickles pranced around Tom’s face. From his deep sleep, he brought his hand up to brush away the offending nuisance. His comatose brain questioned the pesky insect that was bothering him. Suddenly, he sat upright. There shouldn’t be any insects on Voyager! Then, he twisted his seated torso and saw Neelix on his knees, also batting at a barely visible annoyance buzzing around him. Tom stealthily crawled across to the Talaxian and shook him.

"Neelix!" he whispered anxiously. "We fell asleep! I hope not for too long. Man, the captain’s never going to forgive me for this one!"

Neelix sighed, and looked at the helmsman. "This is not like me, either. I wonder if we breathed in something?"

"Possibly," Tom confirmed, raising himself and helping Neelix to an upright position.

A low moan from the other side of the trees interrupted their actions.

Neelix stiffened, his eyes widening with horror "What was that?"

Tom started walking through the shadows of the trees, and suddenly stopped.

"Neelix! They’re here! They look like they’re asleep, too... and just starting to stir. I guess there was something in the air." He ran across the small open area to Janeway.

"Captain!" cried out, attempting to help her out of her benumbed state.

Neelix pulled back the low branches surrounding Seven. He gasped as he saw the lithe form through the filmy garment that she wore. He gulped, swallowing air in his apoplexy. "Seven?" he whimpered.

She looked up at him, her long eyelashes sweeping away the last remnants of sleep.

"Neelix?" she said, her voice low and melodious. "Neelix! You’ve come! Oh, I’ve been waiting for you!" she cried out, reaching up her arms and encircling his upper legs. "Come, come. Oh... I’ve waited so long for this..."

Neelix’s knees lost all support, as they folded under him. "Unh... Seven? What... I mean..." He fell to the ground next to her, his hand tenderly reaching out to her head.

"Seven... are you all right? Have you hit your head? Whatever do you..."

And his words were silenced as the willowy blonde pulled the little man down to her, stroking his cheek whiskers more and more the lower he got.

"Later," she murmured engulfing his mouth with hers, her long firm tongue inundating the rounded interior of his mouth. He happily drank in her sweetness.

Using his whiskers as handles, she maneuvered his ravenous mouth own her body, burying his head between the two towers of the techno-arts that adorned her chest. "Mmmmph!" he was heard to utter, as he frolicked among those twin orbs. "Oh, my... my!" he guzzled as he nuzzled. An area of his anatomy was fast approaching the firmness of her that he was lost in.

Quandaries and questions pelted the little Talaxian’s brain, but soon other areas of his body calmed his anxieties, as Seven continued to run her fingers through the furry patches on his face... his neck... and his body. Likewise, his hands were seeking physical solace with her body. His fingers sought an edge to her garment, only to find out that wherever he touched the filmy layers, they sublimated, evaporating into the moonlit night around him. She was warm and soft and inviting, and it had been so long since he had touched a female’s flesh that was so willing.

Her willingness was soporific. Multitudes of assimilations had told her just what to do, and she swiftly undid the mysterious fastenings of his tunic and trousers with one hand, while continuing her hirsute plunderings with the other. The little man wondered if he would make it out of his tight clothing before it was too late. Finally unencumbered by clothing, he knelt by her, acknowledging her efforts in the time-honored manner of grateful males.

Still stupefied by this delicious gift, he prayed that he would not awaken from this dream... for it certainly had to be a dream!

She shifted to her side, sensing his fear and anticipation, and pulled him close to her. "There is nothing to fear, Neelix. I know... how to do it. And I know now that it’s you I have been waiting for... you, my one and only love." She shifted again, opening her legs inviting him in. With a last sigh, orange fur standing on end with sexual energy, the little Talaxian gratefully was assimilated by the Borg woman.

Meanwhile, no more than ten meters away, Voyager’s maverick helmsman was helping his captain to her feet. She stumbled as she stood and grasped at him for support, a support that rapidly became an embrace.

"Oh, Tom! You don’t know how glad I am to see you! It’s been so long since we were together."

"Captain?" he asked, pulling back from her hug.

With one hand around his neck, she walked the fingers of her other hand up his chest and with their fingertips, began to sensuously circle his lips.

"Hmmm.... and now you’re going to play coy with me! Tom, it’s me that is here. You don’t have to pretend anymore with your cover of liking B’Elanna. I know that the real reason that you’ve never told her you love her is because we both know that’s it’s me whom you love."

His startled expression was not ready for her warm wet kiss. Even more so, he wasn’t ready for the response that it evoked in him. Memories flooded him, of times when he had seen her and wanted to... but no! He shouldn’t even think such thoughts! This was his captain, his leader, his savior and mentor! How could he?

No, hands; don’t do that, he suddenly thought as he realized that his hands were sliding down the silky fabric covering her, fondling each dip and curve of her body until his fingers formed oval cups cradling her buttocks. He started to inch the fabric up the backs of her legs, bunching it soft folds in his hands.

Her hands were likewise exploring the firm male form that stood before her. "Don’t you think that it’s time for a real test of our attraction? Not as lizards or spiders or holographic programs... but just as you and me... a man, a woman, and nothing else."

She reached behind herself, grasping his hands and pulling the fabric from his grip. She quickly turned him around, and pushed him into the large tree behind them, pinning his arms as she did so.

"Is this the reason you chose B’Elanna over me... because you like to be punished?" She issued a surreal laugh. "I can do that, too. Oh, I can be anything you want me to be, Tom; just tell me." She leaned into him and slowly ran her tongue up one side of his neck. She reached his ear, and nipped the lobe before repeating the action of the opposite side.

Tom was desperately trying to contain the accelerating reactions of his body to her enticing actions. With a concerted effort, he brought up his arms, forcing her to release him, but he was also able to catch her as she fell backwards.

"Captain... please... this isn’t right...."

She had regained her balance and use of her arms, and this time aimed a little lower. Her right hand found the now-firm roots of his erect pole, and she purposefully rolled them in her hand, knowing just the right amount of pressure to apply to produce an agonizing painful pleasure.

"Aghhhh!" Tom moaned, feeling himself lose control of his legs. He slid down the tree, into a seated position on the ground, his legs spayed, bisected by his unique salute to his captain’s talents.

In a move that appeared seamless in its accomplishment, Janeway slipped her gown down off of her body, and then she pulled off his pants. She walked up to him, the magnet of her sexual scent right in front of him.

"It’s different this time, Tom. No primordial procreation, just our bodies hungry for each other. How hungry are you, Tom?" she said, thrusting herself in his face. "It’s been so long for me; make me happy, Tom."

Her presence made him dizzy; her invitation, overwhelming. He pulled her towards him and succumbed to her pleasure, finding her warm and wet and willing. He drank deeply from her sweet pool, dipping in-between her soft crevices, unable to fight off the desire any more. Each taste was an appetizer for more, until his hands were greedily opening her. Her legs were now losing their supportive stance, and she slid down, straddling him and allowing herself to be filled by his awaiting engorgement.

The sounds of their coupling were echoed by similar intonations from across the way. Oblivious to each other, the two couples were lost in the paroxysms of their individual pleasures. Cries of completion sang in harmony, and the four sated beings sank into the forest carpet, lost in the aftermath of their amorous escapades. Sleep rapidly overtook them, and all was still as before. Two sparkling lights flitted back and forth among the four beings, as if keeping watch over sleeping children.

The night air became silently alive with a flurry of eerie sparks. Magically, the two women were adorned in their garments and floated back to their awaiting bedchambers. Likewise, Tom and Neelix were gently delivered back to side of the road where they had first appeared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Early morning light awakened Janeway and Seven. The two women arose and attended to themselves, barely saying a word, each wrapped up in fleeting memories of strange dreams from during the preceding night. As they completed their dressing preparations, there was a knock at the door.

"Come," Janeway invited.

The door opened and Tom and Neelix were standing in the opened space. Janeway looked at them strangely, as if attempting to solve a puzzle.

"Mr. Paris.... Neelix - please come in. What brings you to the planet?" she asked, ushering them into the room.

Tom lowered his head in an embarrassed expression. "I know we’re late. But, for some reason or another, those transporter coordinates you gave us were incorrect, and then... well, I’m sorry, Captain; we fell asleep at our transport site. I... I don’t know what to say."

She looked at him, her mind still not functioning with its usual clarity. "Tom, I didn’t call you; whatever are you talking about?"

Tom shuffled a bit. "But you did, Captain. I can show it to you in the data logs when we get back to Voyager."

She closed her eyes, knowing she had not communicated such a need to him... yet, in the back of her mind, she felt she had... and that he had come down and found her and they had... Her eyes flew open, an expression of horror racing across her face. She ran over to the younger man, and grabbed his arm, pulling him aside and whispering to him conspiratorially.

"Tom... you said that you came down last night, but that you had fallen asleep by the road. Is that all you can remember? Did anything else happen?"

Now it was Tom’s turn to become puzzled. "No... I don’t think so. Although, when we did wake up this morning, I felt as if I had been awake half the night..." he paused and a deep blush came over his face. "... like I’d been making love to the most marvelous woman." He leaned into her. "But don’t say anything about this to B’Elanna! She gets jealous even if I dream something!"

"Your secret is safe," Janeway affirmed, turning to wonder why she had heard nothing from Neelix or Seven.

The odd couple had wandered over to the windowed side of the room, lost in their own secret conversation. Both Tom and Janeway jumped when they heard Seven laugh --- a long hearty laugh. Neelix was likewise grinning broadly, his cheeks puffed out and his whiskers standing on end. Seven reached down to his upturned face, and began stroking the ruffled fur, and Neelix issued what could only be described a satisfied mew. Their faces came close together and a private look passed between them.

Janeway cleared her throat, and pulled herself to a full command stance. "Seven, Neelix... we really should be going to meet the governing board to finish our negotiations. Mr. Paris, would you please join us?"

"My pleasure, Captain," he said, as he allowed her to pass into the hall.

Neelix and Seven led the way, professional in their demeanor, but with a glow that was new to both of them. Tom quickly caught up with Janeway, and whispered into her ear.

"Um... Captain... I think something may have happened last night..." he confessed.

Without losing stride, she answered back, "Yes, I think you are correct. But I don’t think we had much control over it."

"Captain?" he queried.

"I’m working on it, Tom," she mysteriously replied.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The empty chamber suddenly lit up with two trails of glimmering light. The dots assumed their visible forms, half seated and half lying across one of the large unmade beds.

"It would appear that our magic is loosing its power," the male sprite commented with a pout. "The command woman and her young man have rejected their pairing."

His partner smiled with a glimmering grin. "Ah, it is probably because they both truly love others in their lives. Now, the strange pairing is a true match; the little man and the tall woman are finding love and affection in each other. She had been looking for the wrong attributes in her search, and he had thought her beyond his approach. And yet..."

"And yet," the other said, "they will learn how much they mean to each other. But... what will happen with the others?"

The spritely female laughed, the sound coming as a tinkling distant wind chime. "Oh, they will discover their true paths also. I know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Their mission on Plaethion accomplished, the away team beamed back to Voyager. Kathryn Janeway was in her quarters, finishing off the pot of coffee beside her and her official report about the expedition. The Plaethiae would make good allies in the future, and they had laid an excellent foundation for future dealings with the jovial race.

She got up and yawned, stretching her cramped muscles. She meticulously put the coffeepot and cup into the recycler, dimmed the lights to their low level, and walked into her sleeping area, hoping to get six hours sleep before her next official shift began. The lights were also low in the bedroom, but she saw an outline of something on her bed. "Lights," she called softly.

There, across her Starfleet blue coverlet, was a silken lavender nightgown --- the gown she had been given to wear on Plaethion. How had it gotten there? Who had...? Then she grinned to herself. The Plaethiae must have given the gowns to Seven and her, and Seven brought them on board. Well, it was a beautiful gown and it felt very sensuous when she wore it. Maybe she would slip into it tonight.

She walked over to the bed and picked up the garment. Suddenly, she found herself whisked into a wispy nether world, one in which she was wearing the gown, and she was leaning against a man, who in turn was leaning against a tree. The face was hidden, but she could still "see" who it was. Just as quickly as the vision came upon her, it was gone, and she looked at the gown in her hands. And then she knew. Whoever... whatever... had called Tom to the planet had accidentally contacted the wrong person. It was now her turn to set the sequence straight. Her smile took on courage as she activated her comm badge.

"Janeway to Chakotay."

A sleepy voice responded to her call. "Yes, Captain?"

"I’m sorry to bother you so late, but there’s something here in my quarters I’d like to show you."

Chakotay’s voice took on a slight panic. "Are you all right? I’ll be right over; let me throw on some clothes first."

She laughed back. " Oh, don’t bother with the clothes, Commander."

"CAPTAIN????"

 

~~~~~~~~~ ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL! ~~~~~~~~~~


End file.
